Volunteers joined a mass clean-up effort on the flood-hit Calder & Hebble Navigation in Elland on Saturday.

The Canal & River Trust, the charity which looks after 2,000 miles of historic waterways in England and Wales, organised a clean up in the wake of the devastating Boxing Day floods.

Volunteers turned out in force to clean up the canal between Elland Lock and Park Nook lock. A towpath was repaired and a dry stone wall rebuilt.

Jon Horsfall, waterway manager for the Canal &River Trust, said the Boxing Day floods, which engulfed homes in Park Road, had the worst impact on the canals ever seen.

“You only had to look at Park Nook to get an understanding of the havoc the floods wreaked,” he said. “The towpath was washed away, walls have been destroyed, there was rubbish lying everywhere, a boat was even lifted onto the bank and dropped against the trees. It really was a chaotic scene.”

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Mr Horsfall said the trust was very grateful for the help of volunteers in making a start on the clean up work.